Beverage brewer



June 26, 1951 H. R. KARLEN BEVERAGE BREWER Filed oct. 25, 1948 INVENToR.

'fz/62W@ R ffaf/z Patented .lune 26, 1951 BEVERAGE BREWER Harvey R.Karlen, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Cory Corporation, Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Delaware Application October 23, 1948, Serial No. 56,130

(Cl. {J9-303) 7 Claims.

rlhis invention relates in general to a commercial coffee brewer havingmeans for producing repeated charges of a coffee infusion in quantitiessuicient to meet the requirements of many people. More particularly itis concerned with an apparatus of the type wherein a charge of nelyground coffee is contained within a cartridge which is suspended inoperative position beneath the discharge end of a delivery duct thatleads from a tank containing hot water. It is primarily an object ofthis invention to provide a sealing but separable connection between thedischarge end of such a duct and the filter unit which is positionedacross the top of the cartridge.

In the past, various expedients have been resorted to for the purpose ofestablishing a substantially sealed separable connection between a lterunit at the top of a cartridge containing finely divided coffee and thedischarge end of a hot water duct which is positioned thereover. In allsuch cases `certain deficiencies have existed, such as rapiddeterioration of a sealing element where rubber is used, imperfectsealing where a bellows type of seal is interposed, etc. While previous.constructions of the kinds noted have worked with a fair degree ofsuccess, they still leave something to be desired.

According to the present invention I utilize a sealing member whichconstitutes a xed extension of the duct, but which is mounted to yieldagainst the pressure of a spring so as to remain tightly engaged withthe filter unit of the cartridge when the latter is supportedoperatively in place. In such a construction the hot water duct is alsorequired to yield with the sealing member. The mounting in which thesealing member is yieldably supported is itself supported upon animmovable head, and relative movement of the parts comprised in theconnection is confined to the sealing member.

A suggestive embodiment of this invention is set forth in theaccompanying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is an end elevation of a typicalcommercial coffee brewer stove of the automatic type, certain of theparts being broken away to exhibit features which are special to thisinvention; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the cartridge and its mounting,taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

The present stove comprises a housing H having a raised rear portion 5from which upstands a column 6 supporting a forwardly extending head lwhich is open on the under side. Dependf' dially disposed openings 24.

ing from opposite sides of the head is a pair of hangers lil formed withoppositely facing cam bayonet slots I! each adapted to receive a rollertrunnion l2 which is 'carried in a bracket I4 that is affixed exteriorlyto a bowl-like cartridge C. Associated with these two brackets areoutwardly extending handles I6 to facilitate handling of the cartridge.

In its upper region the cartridge is outset at l5, the ledge thusprovided defining a cylindrical well w. The ledge also provides acircular support for the marginal flange 2l of a dished spider 'i2having a central opening from which depends a tube 2S in whose bottom isa plurality of ra- Fitted over the spider is a strainer 2t of fabric orthe like whose margins are appropriately secured. Through this strainercoffee infusion may pass upwardly into the well portion of the cartridgepreliminary to its draining out through a pouring spout 28 at the frontthereof. This spider furnishes a frame whereon the strainer is carried,and in conjunction therewith may conveniently be referred to as thefilter unit.

Within the housing H is a suitable mechanism forming no part of thisinvention whereby hot water is admitted, as needed, into a tank 3B whereit is heated, and from which it passes outwardly and upwardly through aduct 3| which is disposed within the .column 6. At a top point 32 thisduct executes a bend which may be as much as or so whereby its deliveryend 33 which is outwardly iared is pointed downwardly. Fitted within thedelivery end of the duct is the beveled upper end of the tubular body 35which upstands from a sealing head 3b. Screw threaded to the upper endof the tubular body S5 is a coupling nut liti whose internal contourfollows that of the duct at this point. When the coupling nut istightened upon the tubular body 35 the flared delivery end 33 of theduct will be clamped tightly therebetween in unitary relation therewith.

The under side of the sealing head 36 provides a contact face forpressure engagement with the .filter unit to establish therewith a sealwhich extends circularly at the highest point thereon. Circular walls 4lwhich umtand marginally from the head 36 define an upwardly facingannular chamber which slidingly receives a tubular guide 45 formed witha downwardly facing annular channel 46. Within this guide is positioneda coiled compression spring il whose opposite ends bear against theclosed ends of the two interiitted channels. The force of the springtends to push Q the sealing head 36 downwardly so that its contact faceis maintained in pressure engagement with the lter unit therebelow.

The upper end portion of the guide is reduced to form a neck 50 which isexternally threaded for coaction with a nut A supporting wall 52, whichmay be in the form of a truncated coned spider, is marginally connectedas by screws 53 to a ledge d'which is provided at or near the openbottom ofthe head l'. IThe upper center region of the supporting wall isattened at 55 where a central aperture is provided for receiving theneck 5D of the guide. The nut 5l when applied to the neck bears withpressure upon the top 55 of the supporting wall, thereby holding theguideI ilxedly in place. In some such way thisa i'lxedV support for theguide is provided in the head, centrally thereof, and at an elevationwhich is about even with its open under face.

Directly below the pouring spout 28 is a decanter D which is rested upona platform controlling operation of an automatic mechanism whereby ow ofthe water into the tank 30 is started and stopped.v according to whetherthe decanter is empty or nearly full. Whenever a lled decanter isreplaced by one which is empty, the operative cycle is initiated so thatwater will again be admitted into' the tank 36 to become heated and thenpass Ioutwardly therefrom through the duct Si and'into the cartridge Ccontaining a Vcharge of ground coffee.

Each time the' cartridge is'lled with nely ground colee and a lter unitis applied in place, the cartridge is tted to the supporting hangers I6.In this movement which involves a slight rotation the cartridge isadvanced by the cam slots l f upwardly so that the filter unit isbrought into tight engagement with the sealing head 36. The limit ofupward movement of the sealing head is xed by the coupling nut 40 whichstands in spaced but opposed relation to the tubular guide d5.Engagement between the sealing head and the iilter unit is conlined to acircular line at the high point of the latter, and is enhanced by thespring lll which exerts a yielding force against .ff

the head tending to maintain its contact face tightly against the iilterunit.

In the ensuing stage, hot water which is delivered into the cartridgewill enter the charge of ground coiee near the bottom and then migrateoutwardly and upwardly theretln'ough. In this operation the coideegrounds are iioated upwardly so as to exert a pressure on the under sideof the strainer 245 which connes the grounds against escape. ^red coffeemay then pass through the strainer to enter into the enlarged well winthe upper part the cartridge preliminary to its draining out through thespout 28. The upward pressure exerted on the underside of the iilterunit is communicated te the sealing head 3S and tothe spring il by whichthis pressure is yieldingly resisted. Witheach compressive orexpansive'mcvement of the spring the duct 3| is reouired to movecorrespondingly, but since it is aiiixed at its distant end to the tank35 any slight resulting` deformationci2 the duct will be confinedlargcly`to its return bend portion 32 which is curved'aboiit radius orsubstantial length. The axis` of the' discharge end of the duct,including that of the tubular body oi the sealing head, will thereforeremain verticallydisposed so as not to interfere with free verticalmovements of the sealing head in response to pressure of the spring lll.

Iclaim:

1. In a beverage brewer, a sealing head having an upstanding tubularbody and on its under side a contact face, a hot water supply duct aixedat its discharge end to the tubular body of the sealing head, a guidewherein the sealing head and discharge end of the duct are supported forvertical sliding movement, a xed mounting for the guide, a cartridgeincluding a' bowl having at its upper portion an outlet for thedischarge 4of the brewed liquid and removably secured in a fixedposition below the sealing head, a centrally apertured filter unitcarried by the Acartridge in its upper portion below the outlet andseparably engaged with the contact face of the sealinghead through anendless contact line, and resilient means exerting a downward yieldingpressure upon the sealing head to maintain its contact face in pressureengagement with the iilter unit whereby to provide a liquid-tightconnection at that point.

2. In a beverage brewer, a sealing headl having an upstanding tubularbody and on its under side a contact face, an upwardly extending hotwater ductv having a return bend to position its discharge enddownwardly, means connecting the tubular body of thel sealing headimmovably to the duct at its discharge end, a vguide wherein the sealinghead and discharge end of the duct are supported'for vertical slidingmovement, a

iixed mounting for the guide, a cartridge including a bowl having at itsupper portion an outlet for the discharge of the brewed liquid andremovably secured below the sealing head, a centrally apertured lterunit carried by the cartridge in its upper portion below the outlet" andseparably engaged with the contact face'of the sealing head through anendless contact line, and resilient means exerting a downward yieldingpressure upon the sealing head to maintain its contact face in pressureengagement with the lter unit whereby to provide a liquid-tightconnection at that point.

3. In a beverage brewer, a sealing head having an upstanding tubularbody and on its under side a contact face, a hot water supply ductlhaving a downwardly facing discharge end, means for xedly coupling Ythedischarge end of the supply duct to the upper end of the tubular body ofthe sealing head, a'tubular guide surrounding the tubular body of thesealing head to provide a vertical sliding'support therefor, the upperend of the tubular guide being normally spaced from the coupling meansbut, when engaged thereby, serving'to limit the downward movement of thesealing head, a iixed mounting for the tubular guide, a cartridgeincluding a bowl having at its upper portion an outlet for thedischargeof the brewed liquid and removably secured below the sealinghead, a centrally apertured lter unit carried by the cartridge in itsupper portion below the outlet and separably engaged with the contactface of the sealing head through an endless contact line, and springmeans exerting opposed vertical thrusts on the guide and sealing head tomaintain the contact face thereofV in *pressure engagement with thefilter unit whereby to provide a liquid-tight connection at that point.

4. In a beverage brewer, asealing head having an upstanding tubular bodyandon its underside a contact face, a hot water supply duct having "adownwardly facing discharge end and xedly v mounted at its other end,means for i'lxedly coupling the discharge 'end of the supply duct to theupper end of the tubular body of the sealing head,a tubular guidesurrounding the tubularl body of the sealing head to provide a verticalsliding support therefor, a xed mounting for the tubular guide, acartridge including a bowl having at its upper portion an outlet for thedischarge of the brewed liquid and removably secured in' a fixedposition below the sealing head, a centrally apertured lter unit carriedby the cartridge in its upper portion below the outlet and separablyengaged with the contact face of the sealing head through an endlesscontact line, and spring means exerting opposed vertical thrusts on theguide and sealing head to maintain the contact face thereof in pressureengagement with the filter unit whereby to provide a liquid-tightconnection at that point.

5. In a beverage brewer, a sealing head having an upstanding tubularbody and on its under side a contact face, a flXedly mounted upwardlyextending hot water supply duct having a return bend to position itsdischarge end downwardly, means connecting the tubular body of thesealing head immovably to the duct at its discharge end, a tubular guidesurrounding the tubular body of the sealing head to provide a verticalsliding support therefor and for the discharge end of the duct, a fixedmounting for the tubular guide, a cartridge including a bowl having atits upper portion an outlet for the discharge of the brewed liquid andremovably secured in a fixed position below the sealing head, acentrally apertured lter unit carried by the cartridge in its upperportion below the outlet and separably engaged with the contact face ofthe sealing head through an endless contact line, and spring meansexerting opposed vertical thrusts on the guide and sealing head tomaintain the contact face thereof in pressure engagement with the lterunit whereby to provide a liquid-tight connection at that point.

6. In a beverage brewer, an upstanding tubular body having at its lowerend a sealing head with a contact face at its underside and providedwith an upwardly facing channel, a xedly mounted hot water supply ducthaving a downwardly facing discharge end, means for flxedly coupling theupper end of the tubular body to the discharge end of the supply duct, atubular guide surrounding the tubular body and normally spaced from thecoupling means but, when engaged thereby, serving to limit the downwardmovement of the sealing head, said tubular guide having a downwardlyfacing channel telescoping the upwardly facing channel of the sealinghead, a iixed mounting for the tubular guide, a cartridge including abowl having at its upper portion and outlet for the discharge of thebrewed liquid and removably secured in a xed position below the sealinghead, a centrally apertured fllter unit carried by the cartridge in theupper portion thereof and separately engaged with the contact face ofthe sealing head through an endless contact line, and spring meanslocated in said channels and exerting opposed vertical thrusts on theguide and the sealing head to maintain the contact face thereof inpressure engagement with the filter unit whereby to provide aliquid-tight connection at that point.

7. In a beverage brewer, an upstanding tubular body having at its lowerend a sealing head with a contact face at its underside and providedwith an upwardly facing channel, a ilxedly mounted hot water supply ducthaving a downwardly facing discharge end, means for xedly coupling theupper end of the tubular body to the discharge end of the supply duct, atubular guide surrounding the tubular body and normally spaced from thecoupling means but, when engaged thereby, serving to limit the downwardmovement of the sealing head, said tubular guide having a downwardlyfacing channel telescoping the upwardly facing channel of the sealinghead, a truncated conical supporting wall centrally apertured to receivethe tubular guide and rigidly secured to the same, said wall having afixed mounting at its peripheral portion, a cartridge including a bowlhaving at its upper portion an outlet for the discharge of the brewedliquid and removably secured in a xed position below the sealing head,the upper portion of the cartridge being spaced from said supportingwall and of approximately the same diameter as said wall, a centrallyapertured filter unit carried by the cartridge in the upper portionthereof and separately engaged with the contact face of the sealing headthrough an endless contact line, and spring means located within saidchannels and exerting opposed vertical thrusts on the guide and sealinghead to maintain the contact face thereof in pressure engagement withthe filter unit whereby to provide a liquid-tight connection at thatpoint.

HARVEY R. KARLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 411,920 Hoeder Oct. 1, 18891,467,778 Paola Sept. 11, 1923 2,454,030 Besore Nov. 16, 1948 2,484,054Sharp Oct. 11, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 457,264 FranceApr. 30, 1913

